Project Freelancer: The Early Years
by KolieBear
Summary: A girl meets a guy in a bar. Another has some serious decisions to make about her future. And two friends just try to survive. Meet the agents of Project Freelancer before their infamous code names.
1. Carolina

A/N: I feel obligated to mention that this is my first try with FanFic of any kind. I chose Red vs. Blue's Project Freelancer because the guys over at Rooster Teeth have created such a beautifully intracit world; I feel kind of honored to add my own little spin on it.

I also feel obligated to mention that I do not own Red vs. Blue or any of their characters

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 _Click click. Click click. Click click._

 _'He's doing it again,'_ Carolina thought, glaring at the guy near the end of the bar.

 _Click click. Click click. Click click_.

 _'Why does he keep flicking that stupid lighter? He's been doing it for at least half an hour.'_

Carolina had come out to avoid her father. He hasn't been himself for quite some time.

She can't really blame him for his, at times, debilitating depression. He had lost the love of his life. His soul mate. His reason for being. All in the name of protecting the human race.

You see, Carolina's mother, Alison, was among the first females to join the UNSC. And ultimately, one of the first female causalities. That was almost 10 years ago. During the dark days of the war.

The war was still not going well. The Covenant attacks on earth had ended, but a terrorist group know as "The Insurrectionists" has risen up. Their goal was to destroy The UNSC. Their goal was anarchy.

They don't care who gets in their way. They don't just target UNSC facilities. They target civilian buildings. Her father, Dr. Leonard Church, was a professor of Bio Mechanical Engineering at the local University, before The Insurrectionists burned his building to the ground. He had been inside when the fire started. Carolina herself had to drag him out. That was the last straw for Carolina. She would be damned if she lost her only remaining parent to those bastards. She went out and enlisted. That was a week ago.

Dr. Church was not as supportive as Carolina had hoped. He had told her, in no uncertain terms, that he forbade her from joining the organization that had let her mother be killed. She tried to explain that she was doing it for him, but he wouldn't hear it. He was still upset about having to leave his research behind in the fire. And he blamed Carolina for the loss.

Most of their communication these days was done by shouting at each other.

So, to avoid another argument, Carolina had gone out to her favorite hole in the wall club to have a drink.

 _Click click. Click click. Click click._

The guy at the end of the bar won't stop flicking that damn lighter!

 _Click click. Click click. Click click._

"That's it." She said more or less to herself as she got up, walked right up to him, and snatched it right out of his hands.

"Hey!" The guy exclaimed. "That's mine!"

"Not anymore!" Carolina shook the lighter in her fist as she replied, "You have done nothing but click this damn thing since you sat down! Some of us want to hear ourselves think!"

"Who comes to a nightclub to think?" The stranger asked glancing around the nearly deserted dance floor. "The names Adam, by the way." He added extending his hand for a handshake.

"You're not getting this back." She said looking at his outstretched hand and misinterpreting.

"That's ok. So, do I get a name with all this hostility?"

"Carolina."

"Carolina?" Adam asked. "That's an unusual name."

Carolina glared at him.

"Unusually... unique." He stammered.

"Nice save." She said as she sat down on closet stool.

Her tone of voice should have told Adam that the conversation should end. But he was never one to pick up on subtlety.

"Can I get you drink?" He asked tentatively.

"No," Carolina said curtly.

"Ok," Adam said carefully, "how about a dance?"

Carolina sighed inwardly, 'This guys just can't take a hint!' She though and looked him in the eye, "Look, Adam, right? You seem nice, but I'm not looking for "nice" tonight." She looked back down into her drink, "I'm not looking for anything tonight."

"Well, from where I sit, you could be looking for someone to talk to," Adam suggested. "So why don't I get you that drink, and we can talk about it."

Carolina glared at him but didn't answer. "Or..." Adam continued, "I'll buy the drink and we can continue sitting here in silence."

"That sounds like a good plan." Carolina said.

Adam got the bartenders attention and got Carolina another drink. They sat in companionable silence for about 15 seconds before Adam started talking again.

"I came out with my friends to celebrate the fact the we all enlisted this afternoon. But they seem to have ditched me."

"That's too bad." Carolina said rolling her eyes. _'Does this guy ever shut up?'_ She thought.

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A/N Part II: As mentioned in part one of my authors notes this is my very first stab at fan fiction.

I've changed the Halo cannon a bit. Just to simplify the history.

Anyway, let me know what you think! If I get some positive feedback I'll continue the story.

Please, please, please review!

Love & Ammo,

Kolie


	2. Conneticut

Her parents were dead. Her brother was missing. And she was alone.

Connie had never liked being alone. As a child she had shared a bedroom with her brother. When ever she was scared all she had to do was look over at his bed and know that he would always be there. No matter how small the fear was, he would be there to chase it away.

But now he's gone.

The memory was making Connie's eyes tear. She pushed it down and focused on her task. One slip and the whole building would come down.

Not that anyone who should care would. She was in a rundown apartment building, in a part of town that has long been forgotten by anyone who could do anything to help.

She needed this devise. She needed to get to the people who took her family.

She was almost done... Just one more step... And... Finished.

She leaned back and admired her work. It wasn't the prettiest explosive she had ever seen, but it would get the job done.

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I kept this this chapter painfully short. Anything I've tried to add seemed out of place. But don't worry, I'm making it up in the coming chapters, promise. ;)

Anyway... Please review!

Love & Ammo,

KolieBear


	3. York

He felt like an idiot. That's why he needed to fill the silence with useless chatter.

He knew this smokin' hot girl didn't care about his friends, or that they had ditched him for a couple of bimbos.

But there was something about this girl with the unusual name... He couldn't pin point it. Was it her name, Carolina? You don't meet many women named after a state. No, he had dated a girl named Virginia. And damn, was she was crazy.

Maybe it was her fire engine red hair? He'd met red heads before, but never one with this shade.

Maybe it was her electric green eyes. They were almost hypnotic. He caught himself staring.

Whatever it was; he needed to know her.

He didn't believe in destiny, or love at first sight, or any of that bullshit, but Adam still couldn't shake the feeling that he needed Carolina, and that Carolina needed him.

He tried not push it. He tried not force it. Because he knew if he did, he'd lose her. And even just the thought of that could, quite possibly, break his cynical heart.

After another few minutes of getting nothing but stone cold silence from Carolina, Adam decided to give it a rest. He slipped his number into her bag as he got up.

"Well, it's been a pleasure chatting with you, Carolina. I'm sure I'll catch you around sometime."

He turned to make his way to the door, "Aren't you forgetting something?" Carolina asked.

"Uh," Adam check his pocket for his wallet thinking she might have picked it, "no," he said hesitantly.

Carolina lifted the napkin with his number on it out of her bag. "You sure about that?"

Adam was shocked. He had never been caught before. Usually he was quite an adept thief. If he wasn't, then he'd be prison right now. To be caught was, embarrassing, to say the least.

He shrugged, "Well, I guess you can't blame me for trying." Carolina raised an eyebrow. "You don't me very well then."

She called the bartender over and ordered a round of beers. "You're not going to let a lady drink alone, are you?" She questioned Adam. "What sort of gentleman would I be if I did that?" He asked right back taking his seat.

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A/N:

I know I promised longer chapters. But I've been stuck on this for a while. Writers block sucks.

Anyway, please review!

Love and Ammo,

Kolie


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